WO2006021508A2

WO2006021508A2 - Method and assembly for making available electronic information in a data network, computer program comprising a program code and computer program for making available electronic information in a data network

Info

Publication number: WO2006021508A2
Application number: PCT/EP2005/053908
Authority: WO
Inventors: Albert Schappert; Peter Strnad; Renate Steinbach-Kaiser; Stefan Augustin; Jürgen Steiner
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2004-08-27
Filing date: 2005-08-09
Publication date: 2006-03-02
Also published as: WO2006021508A3

Abstract

The invention relates to the provision of electronic information in a data network. Said electronic information is described by means of at least one data record, which is stored in the data network. The data record comprises a predetermined amount of data, which contains at least one indication of the origin of the information, an indication of the content of the information, an indication of the meta data of the information, an indication of the reusability of the information and/or an indication of the life cycle of said information. The electronic information is subjected to at least one recording, release and quality control process during its provision.

Description

description

A method and arrangement for providing electronically available information in a data network, the computer program with program code means, and computer program product for loading ^¬ woman on top of electronically available information in ei¬ nem data network

The invention relates to a provision of electronically available information in a data network.

Such provision of electronically available In¬ formation in a data network, for example, from [7], ei ^¬ nem directory service on a corporate intranet, known.

In [6] an overview is te about different directory diene ^¬ and, their features and functionality.

1) Directory Services [6]

Directory services, such as a directory service "Siemens SieMap" [7], provide a hierarchical categorization of Da¬ tenbeständen, also called information spaces, in all ^¬ common information content, such as in the case of Siemens SieMap WWW documents.

Such directory services have in each case their own data base which tion content data volumes or Informa ^¬ (the respective directory service) include.

In this case, usually only metadata from the databases or from the information contents are stored, for example in the form of a metadatabase, whereby the database of a directory service is formed. Such metadata include at least one URL or URI, optionally further meta-information such as language, location, keywords, description, summary, and procedural or process-oriented instructions.

A recording of the metadata in a metadata database and the formation was performed by a data base takes place in the re ^¬ gel by manual input, teursteam example, by a editors. An automatic and automated sub support alarm ^¬-cutting is possible.

2) search engines and metasearch engines [1]

Furthermore, so-called search engines for searching in or for electronically available information in a data network are known from the prior art.

In the following, search engines as well as metasearch engines are encompassed by a term "search engines".

From [1] is an overview of various German-language and international search engines and German-language and international metasearch engines known.

Search engines, such as an international search engine "Google" [4] or a German-language search engine "AltaVista" [5], are used to a database of the respective search engine (database), in the case of Google a WWW or in the case of AltaVista a German-speaking part of the WWW or a database to search for specifiable search terms. Typically, a user enters to start the engine before the ^¬ ser search term, after which then the database (database) of the search engine, as in the case of Google or in the case of AltaVista the German-speaking part of the WWW, will search the WWW.

As a result of such a search, like Google or Alta Vista ^¬, the search engine provides data available which passed with the pre ^¬ search term in context.

Search results can be, for example, certain contents of the WWW or contents of the German-speaking part of the WWW, be¬ written in each case by an associated URL address, ^¬ specific text or image documents or certain references to the relevant search term relevant data.

Metasearch engines, such as an international metasearch engine "MetaCrawler" [2] or a German-language search engine "MetaGer" [3], are higher-level search engines, under which higher-level search engines each have a plurality of individual search engines, such as Google [4] and AltaVista [5 ], are summarized.

In this case, a user of the metasearch engine corresponding to previous (single) search engines, such as Google and Alta ^¬ Vista, before a search term. Furthermore, as a rule, the user can additionally select from the majority of the individual search engines combined under the metasearch engine that or those whose associated data stock or their associated data stocks, for example the WWW or the German-speaking part of the WWW [4], [5], he would like to search for the given search term. When searching using a meta search engine then ^¬ of mutually independent (single) searches are performed using the selected (single) search engines and thereby the data sets being scanned, according to the given search query.

For finding the metasearch engine passes the specified keyword to all out ^¬ selected individual search engines, usually together with search engine specific search and / or control parameters.

The (overall) result of such a search using a metasearch engine then includes the individual search results that are passed from the individual search engines to the metasearch engine.

These transferred individual search results are processed by the meta ^¬ search engine - if necessary - user-friendly and summarized.

3) electronically available information

Information, particularly electronically available Informati ^¬ one, is duktions- are increasingly observed a defining process, cost and success factor in a wissensbasier¬ th company.

However, management and management of information usually follows, for reasons of history, usually in a distributed and heterogeneous environment.

This leads to problems in maintenance, access and use of information as well as controlled improvement of information. In particular, this applies to electronically stored or zu ^¬ available or available information, such as those in an intranet or Internet, which are increasingly confusing and inaccessible as networks with their manifold branching for the user.

These problems in the maintenance, access and use as well as the improvement of information in general and in particular in the intranet or Internet are in particular in a lack of a clear structure of or in the offered information, a navigation through the offered or in the information offered, a taxonomy of the information and a uniform look and feel in different contexts of the information as well as a classification corresponding to an information quality.

However, this means that an original intention of the Internet or Internet technology, namely cooperation in distributed environments, can not be implemented comprehensively. Structured access to the information stock via taxonomies, hierarchies, indices and (subject-specific) search is not available across the board.

These problems are becoming more and more important or their solution is becoming ever more important since, in particular, (corporate) intranets are becoming increasingly important as a source of information for daily work.

Hand in hand with the growing importance of these (company) Intranets also grows a lot of these networks ent ^¬ preserved or offered information.

This information is generated in each case at locations or locations in an organization where know-how carriers work therefor. Accordingly developed heterogeneous and distributed also a provision of information in many ver¬ different places.

This turns out for a provider and a user of such decentrally available information as in Fig. 1 darge represents represents:

A user 100 himself must know in which places 110

(on which web servers or in which applications) an information 120 could be found that he needs gera ^¬ de.

• In addition, a user has to get used to the way in which they are provided at the various locations.

• There is a lack of a consistent and comprehensive structure 130 to assist a user in navigating and pre-evaluating

Information content helps.

• Furthermore, a user is provided with qualitatively valuable information in the same form as outdated or rarely applicable ones. The information is offered to a user irrespective of the respective context or a chronological arrangement of information which substantially influences a value of the information ("the right information at the right time"). It is not possible to restrict a search quantity to certain topics (yet across the entire intranet).

For the provider of information, on the other hand:

• It can have a serious influence on the extent to which his information can be communicated to the user across organizations (or "spared" the wrong user target group).

• There is no comparative benchmark for other information providers, for example with regard to the importance of his information for the employees (very high importance for a few employees, information required time and again by a large number of employees, rather rarely needed information?). An objective evaluation can not be provided by him.

• The same information is often maintained at different places with different quality.

From the prior art are some (non-automated) solutions for these problems in heterogeneous and distributing ^¬ th environments such as the Internet or intranet, known as conventional search aids and / or automated (software) agents.

These solutions are not generally suitable in a erfor¬ sary degree, contextual references to a Suchfra ^¬ ge manufacture.

Next, the directory services described in the prior art and described above, such as a Web Site Directory by Yahoo !, an opd.org by Webquest or the Open Directory Project dmoz.org by Netscape, attempt to remedy this problem.

The Yahoo! Web Site Directory provides references (links) from a directory of hierarchically arranged categories maintained by a few globally distributed editors. The Yahoo! Web Site Directory is maintained with a commercial interest in attracting as many users as possible.

Signing up links from a user to the Yahoo! Web Site Directory is possible but is subject to a commercial interest review by Ya¬ hoo! Editors, detached from the actual suppliers of information.

Some specialized directories, such as Webquest's wwwomen.com or opd.org, work on the same principle, albeit on a smaller scale. The Open Directory Project dmoz.org, now by far the largest web directory, also works according to this principle, whereby decentralization is stronger here.

However, these known, previously existing solutions do not yet solve the problems in the maintenance, access and use and improvement of information in geographically distributed and decentralized organizations. In addition, they require a great deal of care and maintenance.

Further, prior art library systems attempt to remedy these problems.

They have the disadvantage that they do not feed the supplier of information into a structure of their "library" or catalogs, but because of their intrinsic central approach they are dependent on the input of skilled workers.

Furthermore, the problem of the structuring of information resources in connection with the profile definition of search agents (criteria) (corresponding to the system "autonomy") was addressed by the search (retrieval of information) pages (taken up).

However, none of the above (solution) approaches covers the requirements for the maintenance, access and use as well as the improvement of information in distributed and heterogeneous organizations and is at the same time flexible, open or integrated into existing processes.

In particular, comprehensive information management is currently not supported by any known system.

The invention is thus based on the object of specifying a method which allows the maintenance, access, use or improvement of electronically available information, especially in heterogeneous and distributed environments, such as in data networks, simplified or improved.

This object is achieved by the method and arrangement for providing electronically available information in a data network, as well as by the computer program with Pro¬ program code means and the computer program product for loading ^¬ woman on top of electronically available information in ei¬ nem data network with the features according the respective independent claim.

In the method for providing electronic verfüg¬ Barer information in a data network, the information available electronically at least of a data tensatzes which is stored in the data network using, attributed be ^¬.

This at least one data set comprising a predetermined An ^¬ plurality of data comprising at least an indication of an origin of the information, an indication of a content of In¬ formation, an indication of metadata information, a reuse information to the information and / or contain an indication of a life cycle of the information. Al¬ tively to this, the data of the data set may include only nen egg nen part of the information or Informatio ^¬ mentioned above, or even more additional functions include Informa¬.

In the method, the electronically available information undergoes at least one registration, release and quality control process when it is made available.

In the arrangement for providing electronically verfüg¬ Barer information in a data network, the electronically available information using at least one of Da ^¬ tensatzes, which is stored in the data network, attributed be ^¬. This at least one data set comprising a predetermined number of data to ^¬ which at least one indication to a Her ^¬ origin of the information, an indication of a content of the information, an indication of the metadata information, a

Reuse information for the information and an indication of a life cycle of the information.

Furthermore, the arrangement comprises at least one integrated Registraturein-, a release unit, and a quality control unit, which this gistrierung- using in providing the elekt¬ ronisch available information at least one Re¬, release and quality control process unterzo ^¬ is gen.

The computer program with program code means is set up to carry out all steps according to the method according to the invention when the program is executed on a computer or on several computers.

If the program is executed on several computers, this can be done in such a way that different tasks which are to be executed within the ^{framework of} the program are distributed to the several computers.

The computer program product with program code means stored on a machine-readable carrier is set up to carry out all steps according to the method according to the invention when the program is executed on one or more computers.

The arrangement and the computer program comprising program code means adapted to perform all steps according to the inventive step ^¬'s method, when the program is run on a computer or multiple computers, as well as the

Computer program product with a machine-readable carrier ger stored program code means set up to perform all the steps according to the inventive method, when the program is executed on a computer or multiple computers, are particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention or one of its developments explained further refinements.

Illustrated clearly, the invention implements a technical and organizational system for establishing, maintaining and maintaining a structured information directory, such as a directory service. This Infor ^¬ mations directory refers to (and this with a) ver ^¬ divided and heterogeneous sources of information that can be distributed both via different intranets as well as the Internet.

The invention advantageously integrates the requirements for the maintenance, access and use as well as the improvement of information in distributed and heterogeneous organizations taking account of responsibilities, competencies and benefits.

In this case, the system which can be realized by the invention is itself integrated or integrated into associated processes.

In a further advantageous manner, the realizable system can deliver both customizable "views" or views (forms of presentation) of the information and also various access / (access) possibilities to data.

Preferred developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The refinements described below relate both to the method, to the arrangement as well as to the computer program with program code means and the computer program product. The invention and the gene can Weiterbildun¬ described in further both in software, can be realized as well as in hardware, in ^¬ play, using a special electrical circuit.

Furthermore, an implementation of the invention or a further embodiment described in wei¬ possible by a computer readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored with program code means, which performs the invention or further development.

Also, the invention or each further described further development can be realized by a computer program product having a storage medium on which the computer program is stored with program code means, which executes the invention or development.

In a preferred embodiment, the arrangement is realized using a database in which the data are stored.

Here on existing or default ge available ^¬ presented database functionalities and / or procedures are reset resorted to-.

Such a database used ^according to the invention may cover a semantic network and / or a Dublin core activity and / or may have an XML-based import and / or export interface.

It can also be provided that the electronically available information is proposed and / or registered in the registration process. In this case, the electronically available information can be proposed by a user and / or the registration by an administrator / registrar.

In a further preferred embodiment, a release of the electronically available information and / or in the quality control process a quality of the electronically available information is checked in the release process. Depending on this, the electronic information can be corrected and / or changed if necessary and then possibly changed or also released unchanged.

When releasing the electronically available information, it is expedient to generate status information.

The check, in particular the quality / release check, and / or the release is usually done by an administrator / registrar.

When complex distributed organizations can be provided wer¬ that the release process a decentralized (xe over the Komple ^¬ distributed organization) is the more feasible process.

It can also be provided that the electronically available information is user-specific retrievable and / or displayable.

The electronically available information itself may include a plurality of the data sets.

In one embodiment, the reuse information, in particular feedback evaluations and / or recycling data, and / or the indication of a life cycle, in particular creation / expiration data and / or data, is or will be obtained by using the electronically available information ¬ on, as in particular access statistics, during the providing the electronically available information is collected and / or updated.

In a development, a search function is provided, which makes it possible to search the electronically available information for a search object.

Furthermore, the indication of a source of the electronically available information can be a data link.

In a further preferred embodiment, the data network is an Internet or an intranet.

Preferably, the invention and / or developments thereof are used to create and / or operate a directory service. Here, the electronically available information includes a plurality of the records provided in the directory service.

In the following, further advantageous aspects of the invention and their developments are mentioned.

In particular, the invention provides a flexible and scalable approach to implementing control, accountability, and ownership in electronically available information.

As a result, the invention is particularly suitable (practical) for use in the environment of distributed (decentralized) and heterogeneous organizational units.

Further, the invention provides a solution to be able to create different and flexible taxonomies both manually and automatically.

As a result, implementations according to the invention (reusable in different contexts and for different Different application scenarios and at the same time ensure in a very cost-efficient way the quality, the flexibility and the performance when accessing electronically available information.

Furthermore, the invention provides a flexible and scaling ^¬ bare solution tion to registration of electronically verfügba¬ rer information including an automatic Notifika¬ to implement.

This enables enterprise-wide process support for information flow and content management in the environment of decentralized organizational units.

The invention opens up a new way to collect feedback on speci fi c, electronically provided information contents and to use this for an improvement of design, usability and a so-called continuous improvement process ("CIP").

This allows embodiments of the invention for Integ ^¬ rationsplattformen for far different aspects (Usabili ^¬ ty, processes, look and feel, branding) within a large hey ^¬ terogenen and distributed organization.

Furthermore, the invention provides different methods to forward on the one hand user feedback to authors of information provided electronically or to the person or persons responsible for electronically provided information. On the other hand, the invention provides methods available to user feedback improvement measures to Qualitätsver¬ and to use the representation of electronically bereitge ^¬ imputed information.

The process includes a loop between information supply ^¬ Ranten and consumers in distributed (decentralized) and hete¬ neous organizational units and enables a continu- ous improvement and quality-oriented Darbie ^¬ processing (display, presentation).

Moreover, the invention allows for integration of different methods of an information reuse as a "browsing" by hierarchies, indexes (in order of key words or titles) and locally limited Suchmög ^¬ possibilities.

This supports user-friendly access to the information provided electronically, as well as information management activities in distributed (decentralized) and heterogeneous organizational units, without taking over legacy data from information systems.

In the figures, embodiments of the invention are Darge ^¬ provides, which will be explained in more detail below.

Show it

FIG. 1 shows a sketch which shows the provision and use of information in heterogeneous, distributed organizations according to the prior art;

Figure 2 is a sketch showing an inventive provision and use of information in heterogeneous, distributed organizations according to an embodiment;

Figure 3 is a sketch showing an inventive approach in a "link proposal" by a user (user) according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a sketch which shows an input mask within the scope of a release process according to the invention of "links" according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 5 is a view showing a result of a personalized query ^¬ overbased category relating to work safety in SieMap;

Figure 6 illustrates a result of a personalized ^¬ terraced index display of CT employee information in SieMap;

Figure 7 is an illustration tion the possibility or Reali ^¬ shows a Feeedback rating in SieMap;

FIG. 8 shows a representation which shows a second part of a feedback evaluation in SieMap;

Figure 9 is a representation of the author's entry at a link in SieMap.

The object of the embodiment described below is a directory service or a company website directory, named "SieMap", which is used in a company intranet as an internal application.

In this corporate intranet, more than 100,000 employees have access to SieMap and are able to do so, as described below. for SieMap to deliver contributions or to act as an editor.

SieMap, the structure and structure of which is shown in FIG. 2, offers the possibilities listed below with A) to I):

A. Basic system:

• A centrally or remotely controlled site directory service • XML based import and export functionalities

• Separation of data, information, comments (comments, descriptions) and metadata

B. Search functionalities • Search for links

• Search in descriptions and metadata

• Full text search

• Search in subcategories

• Search in arbitrary subsets or subsets of the site directory (the SieMap)

• The context of the current position or interest according to predefined search

• Search for a specific type of information object

• Search for specific formats C. Life cycle support

• Creation / expiration dates

• Examination of the use of the documents (access statistics, time-dependent evaluation algorithms)

• Support for flexible approval processes that can be tailored to customer needs

• Support content management processes

D. Assistance (assurance) of information quality

• Definition (introduction) of a quality layer into (over) heterogeneous and decentralized freely selectable sources of information

• Integration of user feedback

• Automatic maintenance of information (link management for broken or malfunctioning sources (references, URLs)) • Automatic and customizable to customer needs hand ^¬ dling of old, irrelevant, not used, poorly rated, or other aspects selected information objects aus¬ (entries)

• Registration of the information object and the person who enters it in the SieMap

• Establishing a relationship (connection) between the user, the author and the owner of an information object • Realization of continuous improvement cycles

• Supporting a sophisticated editorial process to create, maintain and manage the SieMap (the website directory) with its entries • Definition of a high-quality subset of information from heterogeneous and decentralized environments (sources) without centralized control is won.

• Differentiation of different types of information (KnowledgeBeans®)

• Addition of further statistical data for evaluation

(For example, bookmarks used by users - the more users remember the same information, the more important it is to others). E. Organization of creation, maintenance and management

• Functional responsibility in decentralized (distributing ^¬ th) organizational units

• Thematic accountability in decentralized (distributing ^¬ th) organizational units • Support for geographically distributed work groups as users, authors or editors of the system

• Implementation of an easy-to-use system for non-experts or occasional users, authors or editors • The system supports this with a corresponding one

Rights Management and Release Mechanisms F. Presentation and Navigation

• alphabetical AZ indices (total and tunable for free ^¬ be subsets) • different taxonomy-based navigation capabilities in the categories

• Generation of different views (views, perspectives) taking into account the users, user groups, country affiliation, locations, topics and other freely selectable criteria

• Graphic visualization based on different measures such as link relationship, similarity information, frequency of use and other arbitrary criteria

• Different sorting options, such as according to the alphabet, age, frequency of use or other freely determinable criteria

• Management of access rights depending on the user, the user groups, the country's membership, the sites, the themes and other arbitrary criteria • Support for repeating information so¬ as the way to achieve this ^¬ vigationswegen on different Na

• Representation of semantic networks

• Formation of FAQs and glossaries G. Dissemination mechanisms (announcement, dissemination)

• dissemination of information to certain users (user groups)

• controlled by the news value, relevance, reusability, the topics additional freely definable specification (metadata) and white ^¬ tere criteria

• Indexing (assignment) to specific information classes such as news, new entries, topic-specific entries, organization-specific entries and generally freely definable subsets of the available information space (amount of information) H. Consolidation and reusability

• Identification of multiple information

• Identify duplication • Reuse existing information, applications and services

• economies of scale in existing Infor ^¬ mation, applications and services

• Single access with one-step registration ("single sign on") to the information "stocks" (assets) of heterogeneous and decentralized organizations (organizational units) • (indirect) support for the formation of competence networks and working groups ("communities of practice")

I. Openness • Integration of dynamically generated search queries in external (outsourced) information spaces using search technologies

• Possibilities for registering public information • Multi-stage release procedure

The technical and organizational framework of SieMap (see Figure 2), which enables the above possibilities, as well as the underlying procedures in SieMap (see Figure 2) are described below:

SieMap has a flexible database for codifying a hierarchical taxonomy.

Database fields in this database contain links to information sources, annotations, metadata, reuse and feedback information, lifecycle statements, free text fields, and other parameters. Particularly advantageous here is that it covers (integrates) state-of-the-art approaches (initiatives) such as a semantic network and "Dublin core activities".

XML-based import and export interfaces are defined and active or are used.

The database in SieMap uses more generalized terminologies and is therefore independent of specific products

SieMap forms an organizational basis for collecting,

Incorporation and management (or controlling) of content. The necessary processes for this are defined and builds.

Every employee is free - and he is encouraged - In ^¬ mation that it considers valuable and useful examples carry (proposal process / Figure 3).

New proposals are released by responsible editors in a decentralized process (release process, FIG. 4).

These editors may be part of a central team or distributed throughout the organization (for example, central functions such as communications, law, environmental protection, gender equality, security, regional headquarters, etc.).

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate processes mentioned above, the "suggestion process" and the "release process".

At SieMap, links can be set by an editorial team, catego- ry managers and every employee.

Links proposed by employees are reviewed by the editorial team and corrected if necessary.

The process of a link proposal 300 by a user can be subdivided into five individual steps (see FIG.

1. Suggest information:

Active SieMap users suggest their information for SieMap 315 301.

If an employee wants to insert a link in SieMap, the employee in the category tree chooses the category under which he wants to post the link and clicks "Set up a new link" there. This opens a new page "Submit a link to the category directory", where some mandatory fields are to be completed by the user.

2. Notification:

Editorial team 320 periodically reviews (such as daily) the new link suggestions by user 302. Alternatively or in addition, the editorial team is automatically notified of new proposals.

3. Forwarding:

The editorial team 320 decides whether the proposed ^information is relevant for a category manager 325 or not. If so, the information is forwarded 303.

4th release:

The proposed information is checked and the catego ^¬ rieverantwortlichen 325 or freigege¬ the editorial team 320 ben 304th

5. Feedback:

The user 310 who suggested the information is informed of the status 305.

Users can view and edit only those links via "Administration own links" in the tab "Working means", which they have also added under the tab Tools, ie, that all links that are on the server-side bookmarks (Bookmarks) (and thus private nature) only emerge there and be managed.

Suggested links can be found - as Figure 4 shows, by starting from "beat pre ^¬" "Only links with the state ... Show" 402403 selects on a SieMap editor page 400 in a drop-down menu 401 and in the search window 405 inputs a% sign 406.

Subsequently, a list of all links created by users and not yet released by an editor is obtained.

To release these links, proceed as follows:

• With an "Edit" button is enter the link to check the records to correct and gen to vervollständi ^¬.

Finally, the link with the word checking to be "seen" (published in "state" for each occurrence of the link and is individually check mark) published ^¬ light.

• After approval of the link, a thank-you-mail should be sent to the author indicating that any changes have been made.

Proceed as follows, making sure that the e-portal account (account) is open:

• After editing the suggested link, click on the "Mail to author" button in the input mask.

• This displays a blank email template that can be added to the structure a Signa ^¬. • To do this, select in the template the menu item "Insert>Signature" and there the signature with the name "Thank you for inserting a link in the SieMap". (These Signature is already pre-formulated and in- chief shall be unique ^¬ from the Re ^¬ when taking over his position.)

• The signature contains the standard text, you just have to insert the subject line.

At SieMap, information can be retrieved in customized (user-specific) views, in relation to the location (the country or location affiliation), the area / headquarters, the language, the date / time, the How ^¬ derverwendungshäufigkeit, the quality, the feedback and know ^¬ more advanced criteria.

These views (views, perspectives) can both organic sationale and to personal needs adjusted ^¬ to. The views contain different metaphors such as taxonomies, hyperbolic representations, linear lists, alphabetical indexes of titles or keywords, date, frequency of reuse, and other metadata.

FIG. 5 shows a personalized category ^{query for the} topic of occupational safety (subset from the information space), the results being arranged according to titles.

FIG. 6 shows a personalized index display of CT

Employee information (subset from the information space), whereby the index is sorted by keywords. Feedback evaluations and reuse data are collected at any time during the operating time of SieMap.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a representation from this process.

In detail, the representation of FIG. 7 shows the possibility or the feasibility of a feedback evaluation. The feedback of feedback is on the one hand by answering

On the other hand, users have open and active channels, such as telephone hotline and mail Account available. The delivery of feedback is also possible by activating standard queries in the form of preset menu items. In Fig. 7, this is, for example, by the fields "This page did not help me" or "This page helped me" given.

The automatic monitoring such as tracking the usage ^¬ period, the number of clicks on each piece of information and associated activities is advantage in SieMap implemented.

The information collected in this way are used for the maintenance and improvement of SieMap to the content of ^¬ fen show and initiate other activities such as presentation and distribution or control. In FIG. 8, the feedback given is represented by a different number of stars which are listed behind corresponding services. Here is, for example, the service "Restaurant Servi ^¬ ces of SRE in Germany" rated with 3 stars, which suggests a great help for the user. In the same way, the information about the feedback can also be indicated by other visual entries.

Important, implemtierte in SieMap processes are support processes for registration, release and quality ^¬ tätskontrolle.

They are supported by SieMap and at least partially automated in workflows.

Quality assurance is supported by different means, such as:

Release of the new entries by competent Redak ^¬ expensive, the mark is as a new access duty marking entries as useful (due to user feedback), reusability, etc. each entry contains the name of the person responsible for the entry; on die¬ se, a direct feedback loop in de ^¬ central organizations is possible without involving the Origi¬ nal document.

FIG. 9 shows a representation of the author's entry at a link in SieMap.

The search functionalities realized in SieMap are listed in the obi¬ gen under point B) search functionalities.

By above-described SieMap support process for quality assurance ^¬ a quality layer is divided in ver ^¬ (decentralized) information systems provided at SieMap.

This quality layer provides additional benefits, since it is structured due to interactive editorial processes and therefore (representing) a common taxonomy / Topic taxonomies for distributed (decentralized) and heterogeneous Organi ^¬ sationseinheiten represented.

Automatic classification systems use this taxonomy as input.

The following references are cited in this document:

[1] Overview of metasearch engines and search engines, available on 16.05.2003 at: http: //www.heise.de/ct/tipsundtricks/cttt7. shtml # 7_6;

[2] International Metasearch Engine "MetaCrawler", available on May 16, 2003 at: http: //www.metacrawler.com/info.metac/dog/index.htm;

[3] German-language metasearch engine "MetaGer", available on May 16, 2003 at: http: // meta. rrzn.uni-hannover.de/;

[4] International search engine "Google", available on May 16, 2003 at: http: //www.google.de/;

[5] German-language search engine "AltaVista", available on May 16, 2003 at: http://de.altavista.com/;

[6] Overview of directory services available on

25.05.2003 at: http: //dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/lnternet/Worl d_Wide_Web / Searching_the_Web / Search_Engines_and_Directori es / Directories /;

[7] Directory service "Siemens SieMap", available on 25.05.2003 at:

ΓL ', ΏS: / / osρ. s ιp. s ιonons, no ', / kfm servlet / PortalPublic.

Claims

claims

1. A method to provide electronically verfüg¬ Barer information in a data network, wherein - the electronic information available under Verwen¬ dung at least one data set which is stored in the data ^¬ web, will be described, the at least one record a predetermined Number of data containing at least one indication of an origin of the information, an indication of a content of the information, an indication of metadata of information, a re-use information to the information and / or an indication of a life cycle of the Informati ^¬ on included , and - the electronically available information undergoes at least one registration, release and quality control process when it is provided.

2. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims,

- in which the electronically ver ^¬ available information is proposed and / or registered in the registration process.

3. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims,

- In which the electronically available information is proposed by a user and / or the registration is performed by an administrator / registrar.

4. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ che,

- wherein in the release process of the release nisch available electro ^¬ information is checked and / or, in the quality control process checked quality of the electronically available information.

5. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ surface,

- Where the electronic information in a release ^¬ examination and / or in a quality control, where appropriate, corrected and / or changed and / or then changed if necessary or even released unchanged.

6. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ che, - in which at a release of the electronically available In¬ formation status information is generated.

7. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ che, - in which a check, in particular a quality inspection, and / or a release of the electronically available Informa¬ tion by an administrator / registrar takes place.

8. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims,

- In which a release process for the electronically available information is a decentralized, in particular a complex, distributed organization, feasible process.

9. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ surface,

- in which the electronically available information nutzerspe ^¬ zifisch retrieved and / or displayed.

10. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ surface,

- In which the electronically available information includes a lot of ^¬ number of records.

11. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ surface, in which the reuse information, in particular feedback ratings and / or reuse data, and / or the indication of a life cycle, in particular creation / expiration data and / or data on use of the electronically available information, as in the specific access statistics, during the Provision of electronically available information is collected and / or updated.

12. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ che,

- In which a search function is feasible, which makes it possible to search the electronically available information for a search object.

13. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ surface,

- In which the indication of a source of electronically ver¬ available information is a data link.

14. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ surface,

- where the data network is an Internet or an intranet.

15. The method according to at least one of the preceding Ansprü¬ surface,

used for creating and / or operating a directory service, the electronically available information comprising a plurality of the data records provided in the directory service.

16. Arrangement for providing electronically ver¬ available information in a data network, with

electronically available information which is generated using at least one data record which is stored in the

Data network is storable, writable, the at least one data record, which comprises a predetermined number of data, which at least one indication of an origin of the information, an indication of a content of the information, an indication of metadata of the information, a reuse information for the information and an indication to a life cycle of the In ^¬ formation contained, a registration unit, a release unit and a quality control unit, using which in the provision of electronically available In¬ formation this at least one registration, Freiga¬ and quality control process is unterziehbar.

17. Arrangement according to at least one of the preceding arrangement claims,

- Which has a database in which the data ge ^¬ stores are.

18. Arrangement according to at least one of the preceding arrangement claims,

- where the database has a semantic network and / or covers a Dublin core activity and / or has an XML-based import and / or export interface.

19. Computer program with program code means to all

Steps to perform according to claim 1, when the program is executed on one or more computers.

20. Computer program with program code means according to the preceding claim, which are stored on a computer-readable Daten¬ carrier.

A computer program product having program code means stored on a machine-readable medium for carrying out all steps according to claim 1 when the program is executed on one or more computers.